Disability awareness through reverse-inclusion and sport

Location

Funding Level

Community Size

Overview

The concept of "reverse inclusion or reverse
integration" is a phenomenon where able-bodied individuals join persons
with a disability to participate in ONE sport or recreational activity.

In this project the sport of wheelchair basketball will be utilized in order to increase awareness of the abilities of persons with a disability and provide an opportunity for the community as a whole to come together and take part in an activity that would usually be directed primarily to persons with a disability. For once, it is the "able-bodied" person that must adapt instead of the typical concept of inclusion which requires the person with a disability to adapt to the "able-bodied" program.

Our project:

The Aviva Community Fund will enable us to create a wheelchair basketball awareness program in schools throughout the province of New Brunswick. The project was piloted in a school located in the capital region (Fredericton, NB) as a single day event which was extremely well received by students, teachers, and the community as a whole. The success of the pilot project has created the desire to include and facilitate the activity in other schools in the capital region and expand it to include other jurisdictions across New Brunswick. Unfortunately the pilot project was ONLY made possible through the generosity of the athletes in the surrounding areas who graciously lent their personal sport wheelchairs for the one day event.

In order for this project to become feasible and sustainable the Aviva Community Fund will enable us to purchase 15 sport wheelchairs. This equipment will be primarily reserved for the purpose of this awareness initiative that promotes community inclusiveness, togetherness, and helps able-bodied students be more welcoming and accepting of persons with a disability in their school system. However, when not in use by a school the wheelchairs will be utilized for grassroots initiatives across New Brunswick which will contribute to the overall recruitment of participants and the development and awareness of the sport.

The creation of this project is a ONE TiME investment that will have a significant impact on student, teachers, and individuals in rural and urban communities across New Brunswick. The Aviva Community Fund will secure the future of wheelchair basketball as a tool for reverse-inclusion, increased awareness, and participation amongst persons with and without a disability. Without the Aviva Community Fund this project will continue to be dependent on the generosity of the athletes who lend their equipment for the seldom one time event.